Specimen #2 Moss

Figure 1: Detail ofDicranoweisia crispula

Figure 2: Dicranoweisia crispula capsules

Figure 3: Detail of Dicranoweisia crispula plant

Name: Dicranoweisia crispula
Family:  Dicranaceae

Collection Date:  October 4, 2011

Habitat: Shaded area on log

Location: West Woods

Description: Leafy moss with leaves arranged spirally around stem, costa present.  Large capsules lifted above gametophyte by seta.
Collector: Jamie Frost

Key used: Conard, H.S. and P.L. Redfearn, Jr. 1979. How to Know the Mosses and Liverworts 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill, Boston, Mass.

Keying Steps:

Introduction Key pg. 19

1a. Plants with steams and leaves; leaves equally spaced around stem... leaf cells elongate... 2

2b. Plants not as above.... 3

3b. Plants not as above ........pg 28 Subclass Bryidae

Key to Families/Genera of Bryidaes pg. 28

1b. Green plants.... 3

3b. Leaves inserted in three or more rows though plants sometimes strongly flattened thus appearing in two rows.... 7

7b. Plants with no peristome present ......8

8b. Leaves well developed and persistent.... 9

9b. Capsule and leaves not as above ....10

10b. Plants with a distinct stem; capsule when present with an operculum.... 17

17b.Plants minute to large; growing on trees.... 20

20b. Leaves without filiform green photosynthetic outgrowths... 28

28b. Plants not growing on rich organic soil,, dung, bones, or other organic material.... 33

33a. Stems erect, unbranched.... 34

34b. Leaves do not have a conspicuous area of large, inflated, hyaline cells next to the costa.... 36

36a. Leaf cells mammillose.... 37

37b. Leaf cells striolate.... 43

43a. Cells at basal angles of leaves enlarged and clearly differentiated.... 44

44a. Capsules erect and symmetric.... Dicranoweisia pg. 80

Key to Family Dicranaceae - Genus Dicranoweisia
1b. Leaf margins not recurved, alar cells inflated.... Dicranoweisia crispula

Links:

http://bryophytes.plant.siu.edu/imDicranoweisiaCrispula.html